Question

Discuss one important application in the field of biotechnology that has made headlines in the past year or two

Answer 1

CRISPR -Cas9

It has enabled a simple and affordable way to manipulate and edit DNA,by completely changing the face by genome engineering in the field of biotechnology.Applications are limitless and scientists are using them to develop more sustainable methods for producing fuels,chemicals and to improve food crops,so as to feed better the growing population.CRISPR is clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.It plays an important role in microbial immunity.When a virus infects a microbial cell,the microbe employs a special CRISPR associated nuclease called Cas9 to chop off the peice of viral DNA.Nuclease is directed to the target sequence by a short RNA fragment known as guide rna,which is complementary to the viral genome.The snipped dna fragment is then stored between the palindromic CRISPR sequences to retain a genetic memory for disabling future infections from the same viral strain.CRISPR technologies shown potential in other areas such as developing disease models and biofuels.Top 9 CRISPR startup companies are now changing the future of biotech and medicine.An important application of CRISPR is in curing genetic diseases.Most awaited application of CRISPR is in human therapeutics.CRISPR lies only on two components;the molecular scissors and the GPS guiding it,the guide rna.CRISPR has already changed science,it has the potential to completely transform medicine,and CRISPR itself is changing rapidly.